Break
by Gorrific
Summary: What if some fictional games and shows were actually not to fictional? What if in another universe they existed? "Break" tells about one young girl's life is turned upside down when two universe's accidentally collide with one another.
1. Break Through

***Note**: Break is a combination of Kingdom Hearts, various animes, RL people, and my own imagination. Thus, this is a fanfic.*

Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Break Through**

She lay in the grass of nearby park, listening to one of the orchestrated songs she had on her iPod as the afternoon sun warmed her honey-glow skin; a slight breeze flowed through her long, brown hair. She hummed a bit; enjoying the bliss of the peaceful atmosphere before her eyes unenthusiastically fluttered open. She stared at the clear blue sky for a moment as she felt the vibration of her phone in her pocket as it finally ceased. Sitting up in a slight daze, she pulled out her cell phone and stared at the text message on the phone's screen.

**To: **Rina

**From: **Erin

**Subject: **Hey!

We should hangout over the summer! :P Kthnxbye.

Rina sighed, smiling. Something about Erin made her happy. They always had a good time together. Her fingers quickly tapped against the phone's keys and sent her reply before her gaze returned to the sky; wishing that the peaceful atmosphere would never end. Rina had just finished high school and had no general idea what she was going to do with her life now. She had so many interests that she loved but didn't know which one she wanted to pursue as a career. She plopped back onto the grass and shut her eyes, exhaling.

_Come to me child[1]..._

Rina jolted up and examined her surroundings to assure herself that she was alone. Was she going insane? She had just heard a deep, raspy set voice of a man that she's never heard before in her life echo around her. She tried to brush it off, putting it to the back of her mind, and was about to lay back down when she heard the voice once more.

_No... You're not mad… Come to me…_

A zipper-like sound screeched behind her[2]. She whipped herself around and saw what she thought was space tearing itself open. She slowly pulled herself up to her feet and took a step forward to the strange hole. She hesitated, unsure whether or not to trust a voice in her head, before looking back to look at the world she was actually considering leaving behind with a somber expression. Suddenly, two shadowy arms lashed out from the hole and grabbed her; yanking her in like a rag doll. Her cries went unheard as the hole zippered itself up until it was no more. It was as if she hadn't been there at the park at all.

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><p>Erin laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling while he was lost in thought. The room was lit with shades of red and orange from the setting sun that poured out from his bedroom window. He simply couldn't believe that his friend had gone missing without a trace of evidence left behind. He exhaled as he hummed to himself as he wondered where she could have gone. None of their friends had the slightest idea where Rina was or could be. She had been missing for a few days now and he was getting more concerned by the hour. He ran his fingers through his slightly spiked black hair as he sighed; his emerald eyes seemed to glow in the dimming room. He raised one of his caramel-colored hands above his head, looking at his hand. Suddenly, there came a small clacking sound followed by something rolling along the hardwood floor. It sounded like a marble that was tossed gently.<p>

Erin sat up in his bed, swinging his legs over the side and sat there; examining the floor to see the item in question. He didn't see anything at first and when he was about to give up when a blue marble-like ball rolled out and bumped into his toe. His face pressed into a confused expression as he picked it up and studied it. The marble was only a little bit smaller than his big toe and while studying it, he noticed a strange symbol encrusted with gold. It looked like a heart with a crown and on each side of the heart were flames reaching out[3]. For some reason that was unknown to him, it looked vaguely familiar. As he held it in his hand, it began to melt into his skin with a burning sensation. Erin let out a cry as he grabbed his hand, holding it close to him until the feeling of being burned went away. Once the pain subsided, he hesitantly looked at his hand. The golden symbol was sizzling in his reddened flesh on the part of his palm that was close to his thumb.

"W-what the hell..?" He grunted.

When the mark finally cooled, it was no longer gold. It had turned black as if it were a tattoo. Erin felt a jolt of panic and quickly ran to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and let the cold water pour onto his right hand; the one that held the mark. He tried to scrub the symbol off his hand but it was nowhere near coming off. His heart started to race as he returned to his room, staring at his hand. He paused for a moment. Something had crossed his mind. What if this had to do with Rina's disappearance?

_Do you wish to find your friend..?_

Erin froze. He knew he was alone in his room and yet he heard a deep, raspy voice. The very same Rina had. Whether or not he was going crazy, he wasn't sure but he saw no harm in answering the voice. What did he have to lose?

"Of course I do!" He said as he tried to hide the fact that his voice wavered.

_Then enter my world..._

The voice seemed to say the last part darkly; as if sinister. But Erin wasn't given the time to think about that. A zipper-like sound screeched and the hole in space appeared as it had before. Erin tried to act unfazed by this and walked through the hole between universes. Before he knew it, he was floating in a white, abysmal void until his feet touched the ground, though, it seemed like there wasn't any. The only thing with him was a giant, white Victorian-framed mirror[4].

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Erin hissed as looked around the void.

_Go to the mirror..._

"Geez... What a bossy, ominous voice..." Erin mumbled.

He huffed and stood before the mirror but what he saw was not his reflection. Not exactly anyway. In the mirror he was wearing a skin-tight black turtle-neck tank, black belted armlets with metal-plated leather gloves, black jeans and biker boots, and a black, puffy vest with a white faux fur trim around the hood and collar instead of his white t-shirt and blue jeans that he was wearing. He also noticed that he had a black beanie on and his gauges were no longer a plain black, but now of the symbol that was on his hand. He also noticed that he no longer was wearing his glasses. He gazed at this reflection and much to his surprise; it seemed to be gazing back at him. Erin gently placed his hand on the mirror. The reflection did the same. Exactly when their hands were aligned and touching, the mirror cracked. Erin was taken aback by the suddenness of the mirror cracking. The crack grew and spread throughout the entire mirror and in the gleam between the cracks, he saw for a split second what looked like an island. An island that he recognized but couldn't believe he was actually seeing it.

A flash of blinding light had consumed everything and when he opened her eyes, there he stood. On the very island he had seen in the mirror, and not only that, but he had taken the image of the reflection in the mirror! He spun around frantically, unable to process how this could have happened. It was all so sudden; so much to take in at once.

"Wha-what's going on? What happened to me?" Erin cried as his head began to grow faintly dizzy and his legs grew weak beneath him. "And why am I on Destiny Islands?!"

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><p>"H-how is this possible..? How can it be?" Erin started hysterically. "I'm on Destiny Islands… But that can't be right! It's just a video game!"<p>

Erin felt that the world, whichever he may be in, was spinning. His legs gave way and he collapsed onto the sandy shore of the beach. He began to hyperventilate and tried to take deep breaths in an attempt to slow his heart rate so he wouldn't have a heart attack or anything worse. Shortly after, he heaved. Once he settled down, he crossed his legs like a child and tried to find a reasonable explanation for why and how all of the events had happened. Was it all a dream? Was he drugged and hallucinating? He wasn't certain of either possibility.

_So is this the reason why Rina went missing..? Does she look different, too?_ Erin pondered.

He stared out at the ocean while his mind began to drift away; lost in the numerous questions and theories he had come up with. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the sound of sand crunching under two pairs of feet was getting closer to him.

"Hellooooooo? Anyone there?" said a voice, its owner waving a hand in front of his face.

Erin automatically and instinctively did what he always did when he was startled. He accidentally punched the young man who had been kneeling beside him in the jaw, sending him flying backwards. He only managed to see the large yellow and black shoes and the boy flew backwards.

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><p><strong>Notes:<strong>

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><p>1. The voice was like the one that you never get to hear in the Stations of Serenity from Kingdom Hearts l &amp; ll.<p>

2. The zipper-like hole was based off of the Arrancars from Bleach.

3. The heart and crown is the logo for Kingdom Hearts. The flames are based off of Sora's wisdom form from Kingdom Hearts ll. The flames are at the bottom of his pants.

4. The void and mirror was inspired by Namine's room in Kingdom Hearts ll as well as in Chain of Memories.


	2. Questions

**Chapter 2**

**Questions**

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" cried the young man.

"I told you it was a bad idea," sighed the other voice as the owner of it joined them.

Erin gazed wide-eyed at the two, his heart pounding inside his chest as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had punched Sora in the face and Riku was with them too! While Riku assisted Sora to his feet, Erin started to think it was all just a weird dream and pinched himself in an attempt to try and confirm that it was indeed, a dream. He winced in pain. It was no dream. It was all real.

"I take it that you're not from here, are you?" Riku smirked, glancing at him observantly.

"I-I'm not." Erin stammered as he tried not to look hysterical and failed miserably.

"Oh, cool! Where are you from? How'd you get here?" asked Sora curiously, forgetting that he had just gotten punched in the face.

Erin was speechless. What was he to say? He hadn't the slightest idea where he was anymore and he couldn't say "from the real world" in fear he might offend them. He bit his lip and decided to tell the truth about what happened in hopes that maybe the two had some explanations as to what was going on. He doubted it but if he lied to them, he would certainly appear to be an untrustworthy person and he definitely didn't want that. After all, if they were real, so were the monsters, right? Erin could fight, but not against their type of enemies. Not as he was now anyway.

"Well Uhh… I'm not sure how to put this but here goes," he began. "In my world, you guys, this place, what you've all done. It's a video game."

Erin held his breath, nervous of how they would react.

"Oh. So you're from _THAT_ universe." Riku said as he sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't think you're one of those game creators... So why are you here?" asked Sora.

"Wait- What?" Erin said, stunned.

"Allow me to explain," Riku started. "In your universe, our lives and worlds are merely games and shows."

"Yeah. So basically, what you think is just entertainment is actually real in our universe." Sora said, putting it in simple terms.

"Yes, anyway. Sometimes creators from your universe accidentally stumble upon various worlds in ours and end up creating books, shows, and games on people's lives," finished Riku.

"Got a name?" Sora smiled.

"Erin…" Erin said robotically without thinking.

He was still in shock of what he was just told.

Erin sat expressionless, slowly processing this new information that he had just been given. This was all so much for him to take in. So many questions that he wanted to have answered and was still coming up with new ones to ask. Was their past different from the games? If so, by how much? What was real? What was created to fit the story? Sora and Riku looked at each other then back at Erin; wondering if they had said too much than they should have. Erin opened his mouth and the words flew right out without him thinking.

"Oh, wait!" He pulled out a crumpled up picture from his pocket, trying not to seem surprised it was still with him and shoved it in their faces. "Have you seen her around? She's been missing in my world and I think she might be here."

The young men leaned closer to the bent up photo of Rina in Erin's hand and studied it carefully. Sora shook his head, but Riku gazed at it intensely. Something about the girl seemed so familiar to him. He couldn't place where he saw her and thought about it hard, trying to remember something long buried within his memories. His head began to throb; chains echoed in his mind and he took a step back, grunting a bit. Riku fought to go beyond the shackled memories[5], desperate to remember what he'd forgotten. What was keeping him from going as far back? Why was that part of his mind locked away?

"Her name is Rina. She's only eighteen."

"Well, we can help you look for her. Right, Riku?"

Their voices slowly faded into Riku's consciousness. Rina. He knew someone with that name. But why couldn't he remember? It ate away at him but he shook his head.

"It feels like I know her, but I don't. It's strange." Riku said quietly as he placed a hand over his heart. "But we can help you either way."

Erin deflated but he had hope. At least they were willing to help him find her. If she was here anyway but his instinct told him she was. Question of the matter being where.

"Anyway, we should talk more along the way," continued Riku.

"What? Where are we going?" asked Erin.

"Back to Radiant Garden," he said, more to Sora than to answer the question.

"Back?"

"Well, _we _just came from there. _You _are going," said Sora. "We just came here because Leon detected a strange energy signature coming from here so we came to investigate."

"Oh... I guess that makes sense then." Erin said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Riku held his hand out before waving it in front of him. As he did so, darkness itself seeped from the ground and gently flowed up; creating a portal. He was the first to step in followed by Erin and Sora came last. Once all three entered, the darkness dissolved and disappeared. On the other side, the trio stood in the lab that once belonged to Ansem the Wise. At the computer in a wheeled office chair sat Leon. Aerith and Yuffie stood next to him on both sides.

"So did you two find out what the disturbance was?" Leon asked without turning, his voice was gruff.

"We did," Riku answered.

"Well?"

"That was probably cause of me," Erin said as he stepped forward.

Leon stopped whatever he was doing on the massive computer in front of him and spun the chair around. Aerith and Yuffie also turned and looked over with blank stares.

"Who's this?" Leon asked.

"The source of the disturbance," Riku said.

"He's from _THAT _universe," Sora added.

_There they go again. Why do they keep saying it like that? _Erin wondered. _They sound so bitter towards it. Towards me._

"What's your name, kid?" Leon asked in a flat voice.

"Erin," he said quietly.

"Well, Erin, I assume there's no need to introduce ourselves since you already know who we are. I do have one question though. How did you get here?"

Erin paused, stunned. He wasn't prepared to answer that since he wasn't entirely sure himself.

"I... I don't know exactly," he finally answered.

"What do you remember then?" Sora asked in an optimistic tone.

"Well... I was in my bedroom when I heard a deep, raspy voice out of nowhere. It asked if I wanted to find my friend, Rina. When I answered 'yes,' a portal opened up and I walked through it. Then I was in this white void with this giant mirror. My reflection was what I look like now and the mirror broke. There was a flash of light and when I opened my eyes, I was on Destiny Islands." Erin said, recalling the recent events.

"Hmm. That's weird." Yuffie said, trying to imagine it play out in her head.

"Maybe you were supposed to come here," Aerith said.

"Huh? Why would you think that?" Erin asked.

"No one was intentionally brought into this universe before. Some have accidentally found their way here, but you were brought. Perhaps your friend was brought here as well," Aerith explained.

"That does make sense," Riku said as he rubbed his chin.

"Did anything else happen? Anything odd?" Leon asked, his voice stern.

"Hmm... There was this weird marble." Erin's voice trailed off.

"What marble?"

"Well, it's gone now."

"What do you mean it's gone?" Yuffie asked.

"I don't know. It's like my body absorbed it. It left a mark in my hand." Erin said.

"Show us." Riku said in an almost demanding voice.

Erin twitched a little; nervous if he said something he shouldn't have. Without a word he slipped off his glove and held out his marked hand for them all to see. Everyone gathered around closely to get a look at the mark. There were some sounds of thoughtful humming and awes as they examined it.

"What does it mean, Leon?" Yuffie asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Hey, the flames kind of look like the ones in my wisdom form." said Sora.

"Yeah, you're right." Erin said; he hadn't noticed it before.

"Wisdom form is magic based so maybe you have magic abilities," Sora exclaimed.

"Yeah, right. I'm just a normal guy." Erin mumbled.

"I wouldn't be too sure. Anything is possible here. Even for you." chuckled Riku.

"Maybe Master Yen Sid would know something," said Leon. "In the meantime, we will try to find any trace of your friend."

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><p>The trio stood outside of the tall Tower of Mastery; home of Master Yen Sid. Erin gazed up at it in amazement. Part of him was excited to be there. To be a part of the whole thing. But he knew that there would be dangers. Even if this was a game where he came from, it wasn't here. This was all real and he could die if he wasn't careful. They climbed to the top of the tower and knocked on the large doors to the study. The doors seemed to open by themselves but Riku and Sora knew it was the work of the good wizard. Inside the room Master Yen Sid sat in his chair behind the desk and the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather were off to the side.<p>

"I knew you would eventually make your way here," spoke the Master.

Riku and Sora bowed before him; Erin quickly doing so after taking notice.

"Master, we have something to ask you-" Riku started but Master Yen Sid raised his hand.

"I know why you are here," he began. "It's because of Erin here."

"How did you know?" Erin gasped.

"Because dearie, we're the ones who brought you here," smiled Flora.

"Oh! It must have been your voice I heard, Master Yen Sid!" He exclaimed.

Master Yen Sid nodded.

"Indeed I brought you here. I sensed a rise in the darkness. They are planning something. I'm sure you sensed it too, Master Riku. Correct?" Master Yen Sid said, looking toward him.

"I have. Not a large activity. Just a brief rise," Riku said, making a disgusted face.

"Does that mean you brought Rina here, too?" Erin asked.

"Rina... I see."

"Master?" Sora asked.

"I did not bring her here." Master Yen Sid said as he shook his head.

Erin tried not to look crushed but it was still noticeable; disappointment clearly on his face.

"But she is the reason I brought you here."

"What do you mean?" asked Riku.

"I believe the spike in the darkness was the doing of Master Xehanort. I believe he brought her here, but for what reason, I am not entirely certain of yet." said Master Yen Sid.

"What do you mean you brought me here because of her?" Erin asked.

He didn't understand at all. Any of it. Why did Master Xehanort take Rina? What did he want from her? Was she okay? Where was she? Why hasn't anyone seen her? He grew more and more worried and it was making him feel nauseated and his head ache.

"You two are close friends; just as much as Sora and Riku. I sensed a great power from you so I sent you a test to see if you could be of help. You had passed and proven yourself but you must be the one to fully unlock that power and its abilities," explained Master Yen Sid.

Erin paused.

"Wait... The marble?" he asked.

Master Yen Sid nodded.

"The mark on your hand is proof of your power and that you are a warrior of the light."

"What about my clothes? Why did that change?"

"We were the ones who changed your clothes," Merryweather smiled.

"Fitting clothes for a brave warrior," Fauna said in awe.

Erin couldn't help but let out a sigh and Sora placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll find her."

"Oh. Master, where is this new apprentice I heard of?" Riku asked.

"The young apprentice likes to train a lot; separate from Kairi and Lea." Flora said.

"Apprentice?" Erin asked curiously.

"You'll meet him in due time, but for now, I suggest you explore your abilities." Master Yen Sid said in a grave tone.

"Master, just what are my new abilities?"

"As you may have noticed, the marking has some similarity to Sora's wisdom form."

They all nodded.

"Wisdom form is based on magic," said Sora.

"Correct. Erin, you have the power of the mage as well," said Master Yen Sid. "Train your magic with the Wizard Merlin and ask Leon to forge you weapons that suite them. The others can train you in various things that will help you."

"Yes, Master Yen Sid," Erin said hesitantly.

"Do not doubt yourself. Have confidence in your power," he said sternly. "Now, go. Begin your journey. All three of you."

Sora and Erin bowed before leaving the study while Riku stayed back.

"Is something wrong, Master Riku?"

"Master Yen Sid, why is the name Rina familiar to me?" he asked the old wizard.

"True, the name is familiar but I'm afraid I cannot tell you. You must unlock the secrets yourself. But there is an old friend of yours who can help you." said Master Yen Sid.

"An old friend?"

Riku look confused but the stare of the Master was all he needed to confirm what he thought.

"I see... Thank you, Master."

He bowed and left the study.

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><p>It had been three days since Erin came to this strange new universe and he still had not set out on his own journey nor had anyone seen any trace of Rina. Sora had to go out on his own to become a Master himself while Riku went out to investigate what was going on. Riku sometimes came to check in but it still bothered Erin. So far, Erin had learned all the basic spells. Merlin was surprised how much of a fast learner Erin was and how he could master them all. Erin's magic was always blue no matter what spell it was, which stunned Merlin even further. Merlin explained to Erin that he was a rare type of mage; a mage of the Arcane magic. Erin would have to learn the more complex spells on his own but was comforted slightly when he explained that his own powers and body as well as mind would teach it to him. Both Leon and Merlin had forged him a golden spear-like staff that had the sharp, spear point at the bottom and a blue crystal orb at the top that was compatible with his new found magical abilities. Cloud taught him how to fight while Yuffie taught him how to evade and use his agility to maneuver in battle. Tifa taught him hand-to-hand combat while Aerith taught him the arts of healing.<p>

Erin sat down on one of the benches in the courtyard, lost in his thoughts. He tried hard to let his anxieties go but he just couldn't. He was scared. Scared of being weak and not being of any use. He didn't want to disappoint Master Yen Sid or the others because he was from _THAT _universe. And what's that about anyway? Did it mean they hated him? His world? His kind? He doubted it since they were helping him but still. He overthought too much.

"Hey. Hope you're not slacking off, are you?" Riku chuckled as he came up to him.

"Huh? Uh, oh. No. Just thinking," Erin said, startled.

"Don't worry. She'll turn up. I'm sure of it," Riku smiled.

"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" Erin blurted out.

Riku looked surprised at this outburst.

"I'm sorry but do you guys hate our kind? You all seem rather bitter when you talk about where I come from." Erin decided to be brave and tried not to look intimidated.

"Heh," Riku smirked, surprised. "We don't hate you. But the fact our lives is entertainment for people of your universe bothers us. Wouldn't it bother you?"

Erin hadn't thought of that before and suddenly felt stupid for even asking.

"I'm sorry. I... I didn't think of it that way before," he said sheepishly.

"Actually, I'm sorry." Riku said. "I doubted you because of where you came from. I took you lightly and didn't think you would be serious about training as well as the journey. But I see how determined you are and the others tell me how hard you pushed yourself. I'm sorry for doubting you."

"I guess we're even then," Erin smiled.

As the two of them shook hands, Erin saw something out of the corner of his eye. He leaned his head to the side and saw a cloaked figure watching them. Riku turned saw the figure as well. Erin felt both their bodies stiffen. Riku started a slow jog to the figure with Erin trailing behind. A dark portal opened up behind the figure and it stepped through.

"Hey, wait!" Riku called out.

The two of them both ran into the portal after it and on the other side, they stood on the beach of Destiny Islands. The figure stood some feet away and didn't move a single inch. Erin questioned whether or not the figure was even breathing at this point.

"Rina," the figure said.

Erin was surprised to hear a female voice.

"How do you know her?" Erin asked suspiciously.

"Remember her, Riku." The figure said, completely ignoring Erin's question.

"Remember..? Huh?" Riku was confused.

The figure rushed to them and gripped Riku's wrist.

"Remember her," the voice said in a low tone. "Remember."


	3. Awakened

**Chapter 3**

**Awakened**

Riku's head began to ache, pulsating in pain as he groaned. His body trembled and his legs grew weak.

"Stop! What are you doing to him?!" Erin cried as he removed the figure's hand from Riku's wrist.

The figure kept its distance but watched silently. Riku's head throbbed as he was trying to remember how he knew the name 'Rina.' Why couldn't he remember? Sounds of shackles inside his mind vibrated to the pulsations. He tried harder to remember until suddenly the chains[5] broke and a sound of a lock being opened burst in his ears. He remembered now. He had a younger sister named Rina who would have been eighteen present day. They had been two years apart in age, but still twins all the same. Why had he forgotten someone so important to him? Riku felt ashamed and shrunk inside. He had loved and treasured his sister so why had he not remembered until now? He smelled foul play and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. The last thing he remembered of his beloved sibling was of her being taken from him by a young man. His name haunted his memory. Vanitas. That was it. Terra had called him Vanitas. The one who robbed him of his sister. It was before Kairi had come to the islands. The memories of her being born, growing up together, and her kidnapping; it all hit Riku like a ton of bricks; leaving him gasping.

"H-hey… Are you okay?" Erin asked with concern.

"Y-yeah." Riku exhaled.

"Do you remember now?" The figure asked.

"Remember what?" Erin said the figure.

"I have a sister… Her name is Rina," Riku said quietly.

_He has a sister named Rina..? Could it be MY Rina?_ Erin thought; keeping it to himself.

Riku hung his head down in shame. Erin placed his hands on his shoulders and shook him gently, trying to snap him out of his depression. Erin didn't know what to do. He felt bad for him, but he really wanted to find his friend, too. His stomach twisted into a knot. Something told him that both Rina's were the same, but he was still unsure. The sun was setting and it was getting dark. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a light whizzing down beyond the horizon. Erin turned and looked up at the sky to see the stars started to shoot across the horizon and little orbs of light fell from the sky all around them. A large falling star fell and burst into light when it reached the horizon. What looked like a portal of light took its place just above the water[6]. Erin noticed that he couldn't smell the ocean air or feel the tropical breeze anymore. It was as if all time halted. Even the ocean seemed to have flattened itself and turn solid. He turned to the figure but the figure was gone. Riku slowly stumbled to the water's edge, not taking his eyes away from the light. He took a deep breath and placed a foot onto the water, and much to their surprise, it was in fact solid enough to walk on. Riku's depression was replaced by new found hope that he might find his sister soon and motioned Erin to join him. The two of them slowly crossed the waters' surface and headed towards the light.

As soon as they were consumed by the light, it disappeared and the island returned to its natural state. The waves sliding onto the beaches' shore; the wind dancing through the leaves of the trees. It was like nothing had happened at all. The two of them began to rapidly blink their eyes, trying to adjust them to the new scenery and brightness. They found themselves in the Station of Serenity and two of the pedestals were empty. The third held the staff; the only thing that remained.

"Someone has been here already," observed Riku, walking to the center of the station.

"Question is: Who?" Erin mumbled as he joined him.

Once Erin stood beside Riku at the center, the stair steps to the next station appeared in separate, brief flashes of light at the edge of their current station. Riku immediately headed up the stairs and set a jogging pace as he went.

"Wait for me!" Erin cried.

He muttered to himself and quickly scrambled up the stairs after him. He was not thrilled at all than about this to start with nor that Riku was not patient enough to wait, but it was better to catch up with him than being left behind alone in a place he was not familiar with… Outside a video game, anyway. Soon enough, they arrived at the first Station of Calling, but all the pillars were already connected by the floating stairs.

"I guess we're catching up." breathed Erin.

"Or someone's waiting for us," mumbled Riku.

The two paused only for a moment before following the stairs up the second pillar until Riku paused for a moment. Erin looked at him curiously, wondering why he had stopped.

"Something's not right." Riku finally said.

"Yeah... We haven't fought anything the entire way here." Erin said quietly, scanning the scene.

Upon stepping into the third pillar, a young girl stood in the center of it; her wavy, brunette hair just long enough to reach all the way down her back. Her clothes seemed a bit torn and beat, as if she was in a battle.

"Rina!" exclaimed Erin who excitedly ran towards her.

"Stop!" her voice echoed.

Erin halted; stunned and surprised. She turned to face them, but something was different. And wrong. Erin hadn't noticed before since her back was towards them, but her Rina had changed. Her eyes were no longer olive-colored, but instead, were more of a crystal blue like Riku's. They also seemed pained and somber; like if she was hiding a dark, painful truth. Like she was never going to see them again.

"Rina..?" Erin spoke quietly.

Before anymore could be said, a giant Unversed had appeared, domineering over all life upon the pillar. The stairs and other pillars vanished and Rina gripped the sword that was missing from the pedestal at the first station. She lunged forward, slashing at the creatures' arm which made it recoil its limb. Riku summoned his keyblade and joined. Erin's staff rose from a blue arcane circle in the ground but he was unsure of what to do. It was his first actual battle but he knew he couldn't just do nothing. The orb began to gather energy and the balled up blue light of the flaming energy grew large until it was launched towards the monster. Upon hitting the creature, the fire spread across its arm and burnt its' arm off. The Unversed shrieked in pain and raised its other arm, sweeping it across the pillar and knocking the three back dangerously close to the edge. Rina gritted her teeth and forced herself up onto her feet with the help of the sword. She was exhausted and regretted not resting before getting this far. Riku did his best to keep the monsters' attention to protect Rina and Erin since they were not exactly combat ready. Erin couldn't help but feel useless to them. Rina pushed herself past her limits and took a step forward, thinking little of the battle but more on another subject. Why have the Unversed reappeared and why were they targeting her? Swarms of them had attacked her since she had first landed at the stations. Was it because she wasn't whole? Or because she wasn't from this universe? She took another step. She knew the answer deep down but didn't want to come to terms with it.

"Rina! Stop! You can't keep-" Erin began, grabbing a hold of her arm.

"I have to... I can't let it beat me... I won't let it." Rina panted, finding the energy to shrug him off.

Suddenly, the Unversed swatted Riku away, almost sending him off the side of the pillar and heaved its arm at Rina. She couldn't move her body. It grew too heavy for her to dodge since she was so drained. Rina was a deer in the headlights. At the last second, Erin threw his arm around Rina, pulling her down and raised the spear end of his staff with his right arm, trying to use it as a shield and used his body to protect her. A light burst from Erin's hand that made the staff glow. There was a chiming sound and when Erin looked up, he saw the Unversed was knocked back. He noticed a semi-transparent shield faded away as he managed to sit up, helping Rina to do the same.

_I'm glad to have learned that spell. _Erin exhaled.

The first time he had put himself in danger and possibly deaths' door wasn't exactly how he imagined it to happen. The group staggered their way to their feet, unsure how much longer the battle could go on for. This Unversed was strong and was not to trifle with. Its arm lunged down and lifted Rina up with its massive hand and clenched her tightly to make sure she couldn't wiggle free; her sword clattered onto the ground.

"No..." Riku panted.

The Unversed brought Rina to its' face; its' eyes squinting as if it was examining her. She quickly turned and held her hand out to the sword below. It vanished in a beam a light and what briefly looked like a keyblade flashed into her open hand as she twisted her body and jammed it into the creatures' head. She moved with such speed that everything seemed like a blur. The creatures' face contorted and it screeched loudly, letting go of Rina as it withered in pain. Riku sprang up and caught her, holding her close to his chest protectively as he backed away and huddled near the edge with Erin. The giant started to collapse, its body falling down upon the group. Luckily, Riku managed to put up a Dark Aura shield and held it in tact to prevent anyone from getting crushed.

Erin contributed using his Reflect spell to stop any of the darkness from touching them and taking any of them away with it. Once all of it was cleared away, everyone sagged to the floor; exhausted. For the longest time, no one spoke so the only thing they heard was the sound of their own heavy breathing until Erin managed to break the silence.

"Rina... What happened to your eyes?"

This had been nagging at the back of his mind since he first saw her, but he didn't have the chance to say anything about it until now. Rina averted her gaze from them and instead, chose to look at the ground; avoiding Riku's analytical stare. She didn't want to feel those crystal eyes burn into her so fiercely with determination to understand every bit of her.

"I-I'm going back," she finally said after trying to find the words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Erin questioned before Riku had the chance to ask it.

"I'm not real." Rina replied quietly.

The young men looked puzzled; unsure of what she meant. Rina looked over to the edge of the pillar and the stairs leading to the final station appeared. She stood up and sluggishly headed towards it with the rest following. Upon reaching her goal, they boys noticed the lighting seemed different. It was much darker and there was a tinted blue, ambient glow all around; the source of it coming from a large crystal protruding from the floor of the pillar. Inside this crystal was another girl who seemed to be sleeping inside it[7]. Her long hair was white as snow and her skin was the same color Riku's; her slender figure curled up and her eyes were shut.

"Rina..?" Riku exhaled as he stepped toward the crystalline figure.

"Wh-what did you..?" Erin stuttered as his mouth gaped open.

"I'm so sorry!" Rina cried, frazzled as tears ran down her cheeks.

Before anymore could be said, she ran into the crystal, as if merging into it. Erin and Riku could clearly see her inside it and watched as she phased into the limp body; like she was being absorbed. The crystal shattered and the body came falling down to the ground. The two stood around her as the girls' eyelids fluttered slowly. Then she opened them; rapidly blinking out of her daze. Her eyes traveled around them both as she sat up, wearing just bandages. Riku took off his coat and placed it around her shoulders, gazing at her. He couldn't believe his eyes. It felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach and knocked the air out of him. He could feel tears swelling in his eyes as he fought them off.

"Rina... Is that you?" Riku choked.

"Y-yes," she answered hoarsely; getting used to using her voice again.

Erin felt a tear in his chest and it ached inside; echoing throughout his body. He didn't understand what had just happened. What happened to his Rina? Was she dead? Lost forever? He wanted to cry. He had her in his arms just minutes ago. He hated this place. Why were they chosen? Why couldn't it have been someone else? Why her of all people? Someone he loved so dearly? He felt angry at the world. The universes. All of it.

"I don't understand…" Erin's head ached as he rubbed his forehead in frustration. "What the _hell _just happened? What happened to Rina? MY Rina!"

Erin's voice was getting louder and he didn't realize that in his right hand grew blue flames that lapped at his skin. Riku's icy glare penetrated him and Rina sat between them without saying a single word. What was she to say?

"Erin… Just calm down-" Riku started in an aggressive voice.

"No! I will not 'calm down!' I just lost my friend!" Erin shouted angrily as the flames grew brighter.

"Erin!" Riku shouted sternly as he stood up and grabbed Erin's right arm.

Before Erin could pull away, he noticed the flames and all his anger disappeared. He stared at his hand as the fire faded away with his rage. Is this why they felt threatened? He felt terribly guilty about it. He hadn't realized it. Merlin had warned him that it was possible for his powers to manifest themselves and become dangerous if his emotions got out of control.

"Just calm down," cooed Riku as he looked up at him.

"I-I am…" he choked out. "I'm sorry…"

Riku sighed, his cold exposition melting away, as he lifted the girl up in his arms.

"Yes. Well, let's just get back. We can all have a talk about all this later. But not here," he said.

* * *

><p>Erin sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen counter of Riku's home. He was staring at the mark on his hand. Sora sat next to him, eyeing him on occasion to make sure he didn't lose control. Ever since Riku broke the shackles of his locked memory, everyone else who had ever known Rina instantly remembered her[8]. Sora was informed of Erin's outburst and was told to keep an eye on him. Erin pretended that he didn't notice and avoided making eye contact. It felt like hours had gone by when Riku and this 'new' Rina came downstairs to join them. She was wearing one of Riku's shirts that looked oversized on her. She was at least half a foot shorter than he was. Riku sat her down on the opposite side of Erin and leaned against the counter next to her.<p>

"So… 'New' Rina-" Erin began to murmur sourly.

"There is nothing 'new' about me," she said softly. "I'm still the same Rina you know. I still have the same memories and feelings. The only thing that changed is my body."

"R-really?" asked Erin as he looked up at her.

She nodded.

Erin suddenly felt like an ass for his coldness towards her; his face reddening a bit.

"Then what did you mean when you said you weren't real?"

"The body I was in wasn't technically my real body. This one is. It was in a state of hibernation, but my heart created a vessel for itself to travel outside and live on in. While this body 'slept,' I was awake in a separate body. The one that you knew. My heart was just rejoining its real body," Rina explained.

"Ok, but why did it... You... Travel outside of your body? And to another universe for that matter?" Sora asked as he scratched his head.

"I'm not sure. I don't know how to explain it. Or even fully understand it myself."

"Wait. So that means you weren't actually born where we are from?" Erin gasped.

"Yes. I was born here. That much I remember."

"How did you find all this out?" Sora asked.

"A girl in a black hooded cloak told me. She also was the one who took me to the stations."

"Where were you before?" asked Erin.

"I was wandering The World that Never Was."

"At least I have you again. And this time, I won't let anyone take you away from me again." Riku smiled as he embraced her.

Riku hummed a bit, lost in thought. He was certain that he knew this person Rina spoke of and believed it was the same person that he and Erin met. He decided to shrug it off and get to the matters at hand and focus on that. His eyes met his sisters' and he felt a sense of relief; as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Riku and Rina were identical twins despite their genders and slight differences in personality, also ignoring their two-year age difference as well.

"Do you know the girl in the cloak? Like, who she is? Or any idea?" asked Sora.

"I'm sorry but I don't," Rina sighed.

"Well, either way, we should bring Master Yen Sid up to speed," Erin said.

"You're right," Riku agreed.

* * *

><p>"When do we make our first move?"<p>

"Soon."

"How soon?"

"Be patient."

"But I'm not patient!"

"I think we've noticed by now."

"Shut up and stay out of it!"

"My, my. Looks like someone has a temper, too."

"Can it!"

"Settle down. All of you."

"Yes, Zelos[9]."

"The ones before us may have failed, but we must continue the mission. And that will take time and cooperation. Are we clear?"

"Yes… Zelos."

"Good. Our time has come to fulfill our legacy."

* * *

><p>Riku, Sora, Erin, and Rina had just reached the top of the tower steps. Kairi and Lea stood outside the study doors, waiting for them. They all needed to know what was going on so they could assess the situation as well as warn Leon and the others. Erin and Rina introduced themselves; Lea and Kairi were already briefed by Sora about who they were, where they came from, and a short summary of their history with Rina. Since Riku had no women's clothing on hand, Kairi had lent an old dress of hers to Rina. It wasn't quite her size, especially in the chest area, but it had to do for now until she could get new clothes.<p>

The chamber doors opened by themselves and Master Yen Sid was sitting upright in his chair with his usual stern expression. Once everyone was inside, he waved his hand and the doors closed behind them. Riku opened his mouth to speak but he was silenced with a simple shake of the head.

"Master Yen Sid. This is Rina," Riku explained as he stepped aside to give him a better view.

"Your long-lost sister. I am glad you found her and that she is safe. But you're here about the creature you encountered in the Stations, correct?" said Master Yen Sid sternly.

Riku nodded.

"What was it, Master Yen Sid?" asked Kairi.

"It was an Unversed," he said, stroking his beard in thought.

"An Unversed? Wait. Didn't they only exist because of Vanitas?" Erin asked.

"Indeed. This is true. But they are now appearing all over." Master Yen Sid started to hum; thinking of the possible reasons how this could have happened. "It is possible that Vanitas still exists somewhere among the worlds or…" He paused.

"Or what, Master?" Sora pressed.

"Or there is a remnant of Vanitas somewhere and is plotting to try and overcome the light."

"How could that even be possible?" asked Lea.

"Sora gained his keyblade because of Ventus. Riku because of Terra. And Kairi because of Aqua. The three of you were chosen because of the three predecessors who you met," Maser Yen Sid explained.

Despite Aqua, Ventus, Terra, and Vanitas no longer being around, the warriors of the light did their research on their predecessors and learned all they could about where they came from as well as their battles. Ever since the memories of Rina had returned, they read up on all they could about their past heroes as well as their enemies. Especially Sora and Riku since they had met one of the enemies; Vanitas. It was also good help to give them an idea what they would be up against in the future. They all knew that this upcoming battle would not be an easy one nor would anything go easy or smoothly. What happens could change all the worlds forever; and as Yen Sid feared, the other universe. But he decided to keep that to himself. He didn't want to worry them further nor was he certain that the enemy planned on attacking it either. Needless to say he planned on trying to find that information out. Yen Sid was certain Mickey knew about the threat as well.

"So what's the plan going to be?" Rina asked.

"You will continue your training and journeys. Stop darkness where ever it lurks its head. I don't know what their plan is so it's best to be prepared," said the Master. "But on more pressing matters, I'm sure you have noticed Master Riku. Erin. Rina. When you were facing the Unversed in the Stations, Rina summoned a keyblade. Is that right, Rina?"

She nodded silently, as if embarrassed.

"Woah. Really?" Sora asked, surprised.

Lea, Erin, and Kairi were in awe, too.

"It is, but it was only once. I haven't been able to summon it since. I'm not sure why," Rina said quietly.

"This means you are the newest keybearer. Do not fret. Your keyblade will come when you call in due time. It is waiting for you to find yourself first. Once you do, it will obey you and stand by your side. If it did not see potential in you, you would not be able to have summoned it in the first place," assured Master Yen Sid.

"It is as Master Yen Sid says. Just focus on training in everything else for now. You can use practice swords in the meantime. You'll have to go through the same training Erin did," Riku smiled as he placed a hand on Rina's shoulder.

Rina's faced beamed as their encouraging words filled her with confidence and hope. Suddenly, the doors off the side of them burst open and the three fairies swarmed her and started pushing her inside, giggling and talking about making her some better suited clothes. When she finally returned, her clothes were changed. She wore a low v-cut white tank top that had the kingdom's heart logo spray painted on it and a black hooded vest, plated gloves with studs on the knuckles, dark blue torn jean shorts with a studded belt, and steel toe boots with black leggings that went up to her thighs. She also wore a black and white snapback with pins with the symbols of the heartless, nobodies, unversed, and the kingdom's crown. Erin couldn't help but stare at her, traces of pink showed in his cheeks.

"You look amazing!" Kairi cried as she ran up to her.

"Stop drooling, lover boy." Lea whispered in Erin's ear.

"What? I, uh, no. It's nothing like that!" Erin hissed back.

Lea raised a brow and smirked at him.

"You won't tell anyone will you?" Erin begged quietly.

"Promise," Lea chuckled.

"Master, do you know where my 'friend' is?" Riku asked in a hushed tone while the others were distracted.

"I'm afraid I do not, Master Riku. But she may be closer than you think. She seems to be keeping an eye on you," Master Yen Sid replied. "But for what reason, I wonder?"

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong>

* * *

><p>5. The memories locked away were inspired by Namine and her abilities in Chain of Memories.<p>

6. The falling stars were inspired by the Kingdom Hearts intro while the orbs of light and 'portal' of light was inspired by Kingdom Hearts ll intro.

7. This was inspired by Lucrecia in Final Fantasy 7: Dirge of Cerberus where Lucrecia was laid to rest inside a crystal pillar.

8. This was inspired by the events of Chain of Memories with Sora and his connections.

9. I was browsing the internet when I came across the name "Zelos." No idea where it's from but I know it's from an anime. I actually liked it and I felt it'd be a good name for a villain.


	4. Meeting

**Chapter 4**

**Meeting**

Rina had spent the past few days going through the same training Erin had, all during which she was not able to summon her blade. When the time was right, it shall appear before her and tell her its name. That's what the others had told her, but she wasn't going to give up hope. She was sitting in the garden by herself, taking a break from her training. She knew that Riku didn't want her by herself but she felt like being alone with her thoughts. Erin was going through Merlin's old books, studying as much new magic as he could. He was reluctant to let her go off alone but he had no right to force her to stay or be accompanied. Rina was experimenting and playing with her own spells and powers as well. Like her brother, she also had power over the darkness and could use it for the better of the light. She wondered if it was an inherited trait but there was no way of telling. She didn't want to remember anything from when she was small. Something churned inside her when she tried so she chose not to for now. It was difficult anyway. Then a mischievous grin spread across her face and she held out her hand and waved it. Darkness spouted up from the ground and created a portal. She didn't think of where she was going but regardless, she stepped in and disappeared from the garden.

Her feet touched the dusty, cracked earth below her as the portal dissolved behind her. Instantly, she realized her mistake and brought her hand to her forehead, making a smacking sound as she groaned. She was still satisfied she knew how to make portals but now she needed to figure out how to actually travel to a target location. She let out a heavy sigh but decided to look around anyway. Where ever she was, it was desolate and in shambles. There was no sign of life at all. No buildings or sounds of activity. Just the wind blowing dust across the land and the canyon walls. She noticed in the distance there was what appeared to be a graveyard full of keyblades that sent a shiver down her spine. A feeling of uneasiness came over her that made her not want to stay any longer. She was about to open another portal to leave when she heard what sounded like something hitting rock. Rina knelt down and peeked over the edge of the canyon wall to see a young man below. He was punching and kicking one of the rocks that was protruding from the ground. He had dark skin, green eyes, and shaggy red-maroon hair. He wore a plain white tank and gray training sweats, his hands were bandaged, and his skin was sweaty. He had a duffle bag beside him and a towel laying out next to a bottle of water.

Rina tried to get a closer look to the handsome young man but as she moved, a small rock fell off the side and went tumbling down. The sound echoed throughout the canyon and the man whipped around and stared right at her, his face twisted into an angry expression.

"Hey! What are you doing there?!" He shouted.

Rina gasped and jumped to her feet. She quickly opened a portal as she heard the sound of him coming up towards her just as she ran in, closing it behind her. She felt embarrassed for spying on him; even if she didn't know who he was. Suddenly, she felt someone shove into her. She caught herself and looked up to see a group of young men passing by. One looked backed and apologized before continuing on. Rina looked around and recognized that she was in Traverse Town but it had been converted to a sort of hangout spot. She wandered to a nearby map of the place and studied it. According to it, she was in the first district which was a quieter cafe environment with some shops around. Second district were all hotels and shops while the third district was more of a party zone. The backstreets[10] were where refugees and people lived but there were still parties in the streets with the occasional shop here and there. It was like a planet of young people. Rina wandered around, looking at everything before she finally made her way to the third district. It was dark and like a rave. There was a stage and a DJ booth as well while people crowded the floor and danced to the music and flashing lights.

She stayed off to the side, timid and unsure if she could even make her way through the crowd. She wasn't even sure how long she had been gone for and knew she would probably hear a lecture when she returned. Rina wondered if the door to Merlin's old home was still sealed and her curiosity urged her to check it out. Rina had to squeeze and maneuver her way through the crowd but a third of the way in, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Her head turned to look at the stage when she realized what it was. The man from earlier was onstage, singing and playing his guitar. Rina felt her face flush but she couldn't take her eyes off him. After a few minutes, she noticed that he was staring at her. His eyes were fixated and his expression smug. She quickly realized that the song was almost over and whipped around, pushing her way through the crowd.

Halfway through the crowd, there came a tap on her shoulder and Rina paused for a moment before hesitantly turning around to see the figure who noticed her.

_ Just my luck. _She thought bitterly.

"Stalking me, eh? Spying wasn't enough?"

Rina's face reddened as she stared at the man she from earlier. He was clearly cleaned up; he wore a clean tank with a black leather long-sleeved jacket that was cut short so it barely went below his chest, plated leather gloves, black jeans with a chain hanging from the belt loops that seemed rather slimming on him, and what looked like steel toed biker boots. Seeing him up close, she noticed how much taller he was as he peered over her. He plucked the hat off of her head and smiled with a raised brow. He was teasing her.

"H-Hey! That's mine!" Rina cried as she made a lunge for it.

"Oh?" He mused as he caught her, placing the hat on his own head.

"Y-Yeah," she muttered.

Rina couldn't take her eyes from him. His emerald ones were so mesmerizing.

"I don't believe pretty girls should hide their faces with hats," he smirked.

Rina remained silent, her face red, as his eyes narrowed on her as he hummed.

"Here, follow me," he said as he took her hand and pulled her along through the crowd.

Soon enough, they were on the other side of the crowd and stood before the door with the fire emblem; the door to Merlin's old dwelling. The man pulled out a lighter and flicked it until there came a small flame. He smiled back at Rina and his face softened when he saw her puzzled look. He turned back to the door and ran the flame along the doors' surface. The door suddenly rose up and granted them entrance. He gestured for her to enter first which made her only roll her eyes. Once inside, the door shut behind them. It seemed like no one was any wiser about them entering the mysterious door.

"That was clever. How did you know that would work?" Rina asked.

"Ah, I know that this place used to be a refugee world. I also heard that a wizard lived here. Once I saw the symbol, I decided to experiment. Found out a lighter works just fine. Just needs to be fire," the man replied as he hopped on one of the moving stones.

"I see," Rina said more to herself than to him as she hopped onto the stone and he jumped to the next.

"It'd be nice if I knew your name," she called once they were halfway through.

The man paused and glanced over at her. Rina had already jumped and was not prepared for his sudden stop. She bumped into him and lost her balance, wobbling over and was about to fall into the water when he placed a hand on her back and gently pulled her toward him. His full attention was on her but she noticed that his eyes seemed agonized. It was as if something she said had deeply hurt him. She couldn't help but feel confused and guilty. There was a long, uncomfortable silence before Rina spoke up.

"Did I say something to offend-"

"No," he quickly replied.

He let go of her and made sure she had her footing before heading on ahead.

"My name is Keith," he finally answered.

"O-Oh. Well, I'm Rina."

* * *

><p>Once inside the beat up little cottage, Keith plopped down on an old couch and let out a content sigh. Upon looking around, she noticed there was some furniture but they were certainly not Merlin's left-behinds. It was more likely that it was just some old furniture that was brought in from Keith or whoever else knew the secret way to open the door. Other than the couch, there was a bean-bag chair, some carpets on the floor, an old blanket in place of drapes, a table with two plain chairs, and a desk with a lamp on it. The only thing that seemed out of the whole "broken down" theme was a bookshelf full of books which surprised her.<p>

"Don't be too surprised. I _do _like to read," he chuckled when he noticed her face.

"Is this your place?" Rina asked.

"I suppose. I mean, I crash here when I'm in town," Keith answered.

"Where do you sleep? I don't see a bed."

Keith stood up and walked to an uncarpeted part of the floor. He grinned at her before he stamped his foot that gave a loud echo. The floor rumbled and a diamond shape portion of the floor lifted itself up[11] a few inches, enough for them to still step up upon. Keith went first with Rina following after him. Once they both were on, the platform rose above to the upper level of the cottage. The floor was more of a smooth tiling with red and golden patterns. There were wooden planks close to the ceiling and the walls were covered in a pattern as compared to the stone ones in the previous room. There was a large bed, a nightstand with a lamp, a tattered trunk, a wardrobe closet, and a full body length mirror.

"Huh… Not bad I suppose," Rina said as she looked around.

"Did you want to lay in my bed?" Keith mused.

"Wh-what? No!" She cried in surprise.

"You sure? I mean, why else did you bring it up?" He smiled, giving her a wink.

Rina frowned, flustered.

"Aww... Don't be upset. I was just teasing you," Keith said.

Rina furrowed her brows and clenched her fists. Why was he acting like this towards her? Like… Like as if they were old childhood friends that could pick on each other. She didn't understand it. As far as she knew, she had only just met him and yet, something about him struck her. It felt as if she knew him for years. Like they were old friends who had just met up again and were reconnecting. Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her. It was Keith. She looked up at him, stunned. He held her close to him and rested his head on top of hers.

"Why are you..?" She choked out.

There was a pause.

"Because you were crying," he breathed, his voice was gentle.

_I was crying? When..? _Rina was confused.

She placed a hand to her face; her cheeks were damp and there were fresh tears in her eyes. This was strange. She didn't even remember tears welling up nonetheless them tumbling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed as she quickly wiped them away. "I don't know why-"

"You really don't remember, do you?" Keith interrupted.

Silence.

"Your heart remembers… But _you_ don't," he continued.

This only confused her further. What was he talking about? She started to feel dizzy and her legs trembled beneath her. Her head as well as her heart began to ache; the echoes of chains rattled in her head. Her body fell back under its own weight but Keith managed to catch her before she fell to the floor; his face was somber. He picked up the unconscious Rina and carried her to the bed, placing her down. He pulled the covers over her and sat beside her, watching over her. He gently stroked the side of her face and waited.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong>

* * *

><p>10. Backstreets were an added location to Traverse Town which was found in Dream Drop Distance.<p>

11. The moving platform is the same and from the first Kingdom Hearts game.


End file.
